Understanding Connections in Informational Texts
Understanding Connections in Informational Texts Objective: Students will be able to describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
Learning Objectives
- Identify two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
- Describe how these elements are connected.
- Use evidence from the text to explain the connection.
Materials Needed
- A short, age-appropriate informational text (such as a simple article about animals or a historical figure)
- Paper and pencils
- Highlighters or colored pencils
Key Vocabulary
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that gives facts or information about a topic.
- Connection
- How two things relate or link to each other.
- Event
- Something that happens.
Detailed Activities
Reading and Discussing the Text
- Read the selected informational text aloud together.
- Pause to discuss unfamiliar words and the main idea.
- Ask your child to identify two important people, events, ideas, or facts from the text.
Finding Connections
- Together, talk about how the two chosen elements relate to each other.
- Use questions like: ‘How do these two things affect each other?’ or ‘Why are these ideas important together?’
- Highlight or underline the sentences in the text that show this connection.
Drawing and Writing
- Have your child draw a picture showing the two connected elements.
- Ask your child to write a few sentences explaining the connection in their own words.
- Review the sentences together and praise efforts.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on building comprehension skills by making connections in informational texts.
- Encourage your child to ask questions as you read together to improve understanding.
- Be patient with writing; the goal is to express ideas clearly, not perfectly.
Assessment Questions
- Can you name two important people, events, or ideas from the story?
- How are these two things connected?
- Can you show me where in the text we find information about their connection?
Extension Ideas
- Read another informational text and repeat the connection activity with new content.
- Create a simple chart or graphic organizer to show connections between multiple ideas.
- Discuss connections found in everyday experiences, like how weather affects plants or how family members help each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read the text slowly and discuss each sentence or paragraph together. Use pictures or real-life examples to help explain difficult ideas.
Encourage drawing or oral explanations first, then gradually support simple writing. Praise all attempts to build confidence.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may think connections are only about cause and effect, but they can also include comparisons or relationships.
- Some children may focus only on one part of the text and miss the bigger connection.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with clear, simple facts.
- Provide sentence starters for writing, such as ‘These two things are connected because…’.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge them to find more than two connected ideas in the text.
- Ask them to explain connections using new vocabulary words.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes reading and discussing the text.
- Use 15 minutes to explore and find connections together.
- Reserve 15 minutes for drawing and writing activities to express understanding.
Standards
- 2.RI.7 — Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram) contribute to and clarify a text.
Printable Worksheet
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